Public Statements

Keeping Our Promise: Social Security

Press Release

Democratic Congressional candidate David Whitaker vowed on Tuesday to protect Social Security from privatization if elected, and criticized his opponent for endangering the retirement of over 100,000 seniors in the Third District.

"Strengthening Social Security is one of my top priorities when I get to Washington, and I intend to protect it from career politicians and special interests," Whitaker said.

Whitaker and Republican Steve Womack appeared at the League of Women Voters forum yesterday. Womack reiterated at the debate that he prefers a privatized version of Social Security that would send our retirement savings to Wall Street investment banks.

"I think we can all agree that Wall Street has been bailed out enough already, and now my opponent wants to send them another bailout in the form of making Arkansans fork over their retirement savings," Whitaker said.

omack, who acknowledged his work for Merrill Lynch - one of the careless Wall Street banks that brought our economy to a halt - said that Social Security was an outdated program that the next generation could do without.

On the other hand, Whitaker has laid out several principles he will take to Washington:

* Protect the promise of Social Security for our seniors and future generations * Keep Congress from spending the Social Security Trust Fund on other programs * Maintain the current level of benefits for senior citizens * Never vote to raise the retirement age * Make sure that all taxpayers contribute fairly to the program

"I'm calling on all Arkansas seniors, and especially those in the Third District, to join with me in protecting Social Security and keeping career politician Steve Womack from putting future generations at risk of losing their retirement savings," Whitaker said.

Whitaker's political director, Will Watson, said, "Steve Womack said yesterday that Social Security isn't a program worth keeping and he's already waving the white flag instead of trying to fix it. David will stand up for Arkansas seniors, and won't bow to pressure from special interests that can't wait to get their hands on our seniors' savings."

Whitaker is a first-time office seeker that will serve as an independent voice in Washington for the working families and small business owners of Arkansas.